Vietnam, China ink deal on Bac Luan 2 bridge

The signing took place at the end of the talks of the two ministries’ leaders in Hanoi on March 26 during the current Vietnam visit of Chinese Deputy Transport Minister Yang Li-min from March 25-29.

They agreed to work with authorities of the two border provinces to build the bridge this year as the work will play an extremely important role in transportation and exchanges of trade between the two localities and the two countries.

The two sides were unanimous in conducting the second round of negotiations and the time for signing an agreement to facilitate free travel of ships at the mouth of the Bac Luan river in 2012.

During the talks, the officials discussed the signing of an agreement on the management of international road transport licences and the implementation of the Vietnam-China road transport agreement signed in October 2011.

Discussions were also held on the use of the China-ASEAN Investment Cooperation Fund capital and a credit package for ASEAN nations to implement projects to connect the two countries’ transport systems within the two corridors - one economic belt cooperative framework and the ASEAN-China connectivity programme.

The two ministerial leaders also reviewed bilateral cooperation in transport and worked out an orientation for future cooperation.

At present, eight aviation firms of the two countries are conducting flights from Hanoi, central coastal Danang city and Ho Chi Minh City to 10 destinations in China.

They agreed to assign the civil aviation administrations of the two countries to discuss amendments to the Vietnam-China air transport agreement in a bid to meet the increasing demand of passenger and cargo transport..